The Echoes of Happiness: Belly Laughs

Echoes of Happiness Belly Laughs  

It is easy to laugh
when we feel good, but it is when the world appears dim that we most need
laughter in our lives.

As children, we laugh hundreds of times each day, delighted
by the newness of living. When we reach adulthood, however, we tend to not allow
ourselves to let go in a good belly laugh. Inviting laughter back into our lives
is simply a matter of making the conscious decision to laugh. Though most of us
are incited to laugh only when exposed to humor or the unexpected, each of us is
capable of laughing at will. A laugh that comes from the belly carries with it
the same positive effects whether prompted by a funny joke or consciously willed
into existence. When our laughter comes from the core of our being, it permeates
every cell in our physical selves, beginning in the center and radiating
outward, until we are not merely belly laughing but rather body laughing.

Laughter has been a part of the human mode of expression since before
evolution granted us the art of speech. Through it, we connected with allies
while demonstrating our connection with people we didn't know. In the present,
laughter allows us to enjoy positive shared experiences with strangers and loved
ones alike. Yet solitary laughter carries with it its own slew of benefits. An
energetic and enthusiastic bout of whole-body laughter exercises the muscles,
the lungs, and the mind in equal measure, leaving us feeling relaxed and
content. When we laugh heartily at life's ridiculousness instead of responding
irritably, our focus shifts. Anger, stress, guilt, and sadness no longer wield
any influence over us, and we are empowered to make light of what we originally
feared. Laughter also opens our hearts, letting love and light in, changing our
perspective, and enabling us to fix our attention on what is positive in our
lives.

It is easy to laugh when we feel good, but it is when the world
appears dim that we most need laughter in our lives. Our laughter then resonates
through our hearts, filling the empty spaces with pure, unadulterated joy. We
regain our footing in the moment and remember that no sorrow is powerful enough
to rob us of our inborn happiness. When we understand that uninhibited laughter
is the food of the soul, nourishing us from within, we know instinctively that
life is worthwhile.